PABLO, MONTANA 59855 USPS: 495-170
NORTHERN TIER GETS A FOOT IN THE DOOR
Northern Tier Pipeline Company will get another chance to speak to the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes' business council sometime in the near future, regarding a route through the Flathead Reservation for the company's proposed 1,500 - mile crude oil pipeline.
The topic came up during the last few moments of the February 20th council meeting. John McClure, newly-elected councilman from Arlee, made the suggestion that "we ought to at least listen" to any proposal Northern Tier has to make - a suggestion that became official action with a 6 to 3 vote: affirmative votes were cast by John McClure, Tom Pablo, Noel Pichette, E.W. Morigeau, Sonny Morigeau, Vic Stinger, Noel Pichette; dissenters were Louis Adams, Bearhead Swaney and Laurence Kenmille.
Northern Tier's relationship with the tribal council has been fitful at best. The company initiated negotiations with the Tribes about running a 42-inch diameter pipeline along the reservation's southern boundary back in 1978, only to have the talks cut off shortly afterwards. The council refused further discussion a second time in October 1979.
At press time, no details had been set for the new round of talks except that Northern Tier officials had been contacted and a meeting is anticipated sometime later this month.
(For a fuller, if dated, report on the pipeline, please see page 9 of the March 15,1979 Char Koosta.)
Other business conducted during February's second council meeting saw the local Bureau of Indian Affairs on the hot seat for a variety of reasons, mostly not-fully-explained budget cuts to the Kootenai Geneological Project and the Family Assistance Division.
One of the most interesting subjects of the day came from Wally Wievoda and Gene Marcille. The two men, members
of the Poison Community Development Agency, presented an idea that called for using a plot of tribally-owned lakeshore property for construction of a convention-motel-culture complex. The council expressed interest in the idea -which is still in the talking stage - voting unanimously to support a study on its feasibility.
The last piece of noteworthy action (not counting the Northern Tier business) saw Laurence Kenmille resign his seat on the Overall Economic Development Planning (OEDP) committee because of the method by which a tribal employee requested - and received - a change in his job status. Sonny Morigeau will take Kenmille's place.
Complete details about the day's business will -as always -be published once that particular set of minutes is approved.
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Chairman's Corner.........................Page 2
Reminders.................................Page 4
Letters To The Editor.........................Page 5
Char-Koosta Babe: Memories................Page 8
"Around the Campfire"....................Page 10
Calendar.................................page 12
Minutes..................................Page 13
Advertisements............................Page 21